Net income rose to $137 million, or 71 cents a share, from $122 million, or 62 cents, a year earlier, the Stamford, Connecticut-based company said today in a statement. The average estimate of 14 analysts was 73 cents a share, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

Starwood is benefiting from rising demand for its brands, such as Sheraton and Westin, from individual business travelers and vacationers in the U.S., according to Patrick Scholes, an analyst at SunTrust Robinson Humphrey Inc. in New York.

“They are well positioned to take advantage of individual business travel — their bread and butter — which is doing very well, particularly in the U.S.,” Scholes, who has a hold rating on the stock, said before the report. “Leisure is also doing fairly well, particularly domestically.”

Revenue fell 3.5 percent to $1.56 billion, according to the statement. Costs fell 4.7 percent to $1.31 billion, while the average daily rate at company-operated rooms rose 2.4 percent to about $197, Starwood said.

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